Sunday’s world cup fixture between India and Pakistan was a much hyped event. An estimated total of one billion people were watching the match. The Adelaide stadium had sold out and was thundering with noise as supporters of both reams thronged the stands. In the same manner, Indian celebrities also tuned in to the match. Various stars from Amitabh Bachchan (who had even commentated in the game) to Diya Mirza, Arjun Rampal, Anupam Kher, Ajay Devgan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Sushmita Sen and Boman Irani couldn’t help but tweet their happiness over the match’s outcome.
Bollywood and cricket’s association has always been a very close one, with the sportsmen dating the celebrities on more than one occasion. Actress Deepika Padukone used to be swashbuckling batsman Yuvraj Singh’s love interest. Virat Kohli’s current girlfriend is actress Anushka Sharma. Bollywood and Indian cricket don’t always cross paths on account of romances or flings entirely though. Pretty
Zinta, Shahrukh Khan and Shilpa Shetty, veteran actors from the Bollywood film industry have owned Indian Premiere League cricket teams in the past as well. Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan commentated in the India-Pak clash on Sunday in order to promote his upcoming Indian movie Shamitabh. Other times, Indian cricketers often venture out into the entertainment industry and concentrate less on their cricketing careers. The examples of Indian bowler Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh come to mind as the two are often seen dancing and rubbing shoulders with Indian actors and actresses on entertainment shows.
For the time being, the Indian cricket team seems to be pleased at the adulations it is receiving not only from the Bollywood industry but the whole nation. It will be interesting to watch the reaction of the same stars if the two rivals collide yet again in the semi-finals and Pakistan ends the jinx by defeating India!
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